Protective packing material



April 22, 1969 1.. G. WIENECKE, JR 3,439,860

PROTECTIVE momma MATERIAL Filed June 5, 1967 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. L.G.W|ENECKE JR A TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,439,860PROTECTIVE PACKING MATERIAL Louis G. Wienecke, Jr., Fulton, N.Y.,assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware FiledJune 5, 1967, Ser. No. 643,573 Int. Cl. B65d /56, 5/62, 5/58, 85/00,25/12, 81/02,

85 /30 US. Cl. 229-14 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cushioningpacking strip of flexible thermoplastic material having linked units ofa bottom protrusion supporting the item, a middle portion abutting theedge of the item and an upper protrusion protectively overhanging theitem. The units are linked by a flexible back wall and surround theperiphery of the item.

This invention relates to a protective packing material. In one aspectthe invention relates to shipping fragile items. In another aspect theinvention relates to a flexible cushioning packing strip.

Shock and vibration conditions are part of a packages transportation andhandling environment. The basic function of a package is to protect theitem contained therein against these and other conditions.

Conventionally, fluted corrugated board is used to form a packingcarton. When the packaged item is fragile, liners, pads, partitions andother auxiliary corrugated constructions are necessary for the interiorpackaging. Some fragile items require additional cushioning materialssuch as excelsior, shredded paper, foam rubber, and the like, which ofcourse increase the cost of packaging.

The protective packing material of the invention eliminates the need forauxiliary corrugated construction and additional cushioning materialswhen packaging fragile items. The packed item is protected on the sides,top and bottom by the flexible packing material of the invention.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improvedprotective packaging material.

Another object is to reduce breakage of packaged items during shipping.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the cost of packing fragileitems.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to one skilled in the artupon consideration of the disc osure, figures and appended claims.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an individual unit of the packing stripof the invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross section of the unit shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross section of the packing strip.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the packing strip encompassingfragile glassware.

FIG. 5 depicts the packing strip of the invention placed about dishes ina carton.

According to the invention, there is provided a protective packagingmaterial comprising a cushioning and suspension strip for encompassingthe periphery of a fragile item. The packaging strip is fabricated froma flexible thermoplastic material. The packing strip comprises aplurality of linked units, each unit having an upper protrusion spaced avertical distance apart from a lower protrusion forming a channel-shapedmidportion which encompasses the edge of a fragile item or the thicknessof a plurality of stacked items. The unit is formed with twohorizontally spaced apart vertical side walls, the back edge of the sidewall being straight and the inner edge having a channelshaped cutoutportion. The side walls are joined to each ohter by top and bottom endwalls and a front wall conforming to the shape of the inner edge thusforming the protrusions and channel-shaped midportion. A back wallextends normally from the back edge of one side wall and is connected tothe side wall of another unit to link the units and form the packingstrip.

The packing strip of the invention can be easily fabricated fromflexible thermoplastic sheet material by thermoforming or otherconventional methods. Polyethylene is one preferred material ofconstruction because of its strength and flexibility characteristicsunder various conditions.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals are usedto denote like elements in the different figures, FIG. 1 shows anindividual unit 10 of the packing strip as having a back wall 11 joinedto a side Wall 12 at the back edge 13 of wall 12. The front edge 14 hasa cut out portion to form an upper protrusion 16 and a lower protrusion17. A second side wall 12a (not shown) is joined to side wall 12 at thetop and bottom edges by end walls 18 and end wall 19 (not shown) and byfront wall 21 at the channel-shaped edge 14. When polyethylene or likethermoplastic materials having sulficient stress-cracking resistance areused in fabrication of the packing strip, a self-hinge is formed at edge13, allowing the strip to be flexed so as to encompass the periphery ofirregularly shaped items.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross section through the center of the unitand shows the construction of top end wall 18, bottom end wall 19 andfront wall 21. Forces applied to a package in which the packing strip isused are cushioned by the upper protrusion 16. The lower protrusion 17supports the item and also cushions against shock. The length of thechannel-shaped midportion 1 is determined by the thickness of the itemor items to be packed. The depth of the channel is suflicient tosecurely encompass the edge of the packed item.

FIG. 3, a transverse cross section, depicts the individual units joinedtogether to form a portion of the packing strip of the invention. Thepacking strip of course can be any desired length. The spacing betweenindividual units is determined by the weigth and strengthcharacteristics of the item to be packed and the type of handling thepackage will receive. In this embodiment, front wall 21 is fabricatedwith a c-rimp or ridge 22, providing additonal strength and protectingagainst crushing of the packing strip.

FIG. 4 illustrates the packing strip in cross section, encompassingfragile glassware.

FIGURE 5 depicts a stack of dishes 30 packed within the packing strip 31in a carton 32. The periphery 33 of dishes 30 is supported on andcushioned by the packing strip of the invention. The back walls 11provide a cushion against lateral movement and shock. If desired, theend unit of the packing strip can be nested into the first unit, tosecure the packing strip about the item. As shown in the drawing,packing strip 31 is secured around the dishes by overlapping and nestingthe two end units into the first two units to form a continuous band.This feature reduces the time necessary to pack the item and facilitateshandling of the packed item. If it is desired to fasten the ends moresecurely, the nested units can be clipped or stapled together. Othersuitable fastening devices are known in the art.

In a test of the invention a stack of four dishes, packed as illustratedin FIGURE 5, were air mailed in a package which was not marked fragilefrom Fulton, N.Y., to Bartlesville, Okla., without breakage. The packingstrip of the invention is easily and quickly installed about an item,thus reducing the labor costs of packing items. The thermoplasticmaterial can be colored to provide an attractive display unit andconvenient shelf container.

Reasonable modification and variation are within the formed with a ridgein the center of the channel width.

scope of the invention which sets forth a novel protective packingstrip.

That which is claimed is: 1. A flexible thermoplastic packing stripfabricated first and second horizontally spaced-apart vertical sidewalls, each having a top edge, a bottom edge, a straight back edge, anda front edge with a channelshaped cutout portion;

a first end wall joining said side walls at the top edges;

a second end wall joining said side walls at the bottom ed es;

a froit wall joining said side walls at the channel-shaped front edgesto form an upper protrusion, a lower protrusion, and a channel-shapedmidportion of sufiicient channel width and depth to encompass theperiphery of an item to be packed, said channel-shaped midportion beingspaced from said straight back 20 edge; and

a back wall extending from the back edge of said first side wall to theback edge of the second side wall of an adjacent unit to link theindividual units, said back wall being substantially planar and beingjoined to said side walls along straight lines formed by said back edgeswhereby said packing strip can be Wrapped around an object to be packed.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein said front wall is 30 3. The articleof claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic has sufficient stress-crackingresistance to form a selfhinge at the juncture of the back edge of saidside walls and said back wall.

4. The article of claim 3 wherein said thermoplastic is polyethylene.

5. A package formed of a packing strip of claim 1 wherein the end unitof said plurality of linked units overlaps and nests into the initialunit to form a closure of the packing strip.

6. A package formed of a packing strip of claim 1 wherein a plurality ofsaid end units overlap and nest into a plurality of initial units toform a closure of the packing strip.

7. The package of claim 5 wherein said nested end unit is secured tosaid initial units by a fastening means.

8. The package of claim 6 wherein said plurality of end units aresecured to said plurality of initial units by a fastening means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,319,966 5/1943 Wood et a1.2,568,769 9/ 1951 Shepard. 2,808,189 10/1957 Williams. 2,863,595 12/1958Emery. 3,018,015 1/1962 Agriss et al. 3,023,885 3/1962 Kindseth.3,047,137 7/ 1962 Kindseth. 3,218,178 11/1965 Pava. 3,339,722 9/1967 VanAntwerpen.

DAVIS T. M OORHEAD, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

